Nick (Michele Morrone) is struggling to keep his household together and look after his daughter Isla (Matilda Firth) and his baby son while his wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) is in hospital waiting for a heart transplant. In his desperation he buys a domestic AI bot called Alice (Megan Fox) to help around the house and ensure that Isla has everything she needs while he’s working. In a moment of weakness Nick succumbs to Alice’s sexual advances, not realising that their encounter will set off an obsession in her that threatens to destroy his family.
I’ll admit it. When I watched the trailer for ‘Subservience’ my immediate thought was ‘but we’ve already had M3GAN’ (and more recently ‘Afraid’, which has a similar premise). It’s true to say there are many similarities between this film and ‘M3GAN’ but writers Will Honley and April Maguire have crafted a story that’s a lot more adult in tone. Whereas ‘M3GAN’ was about a doll forming an unhealthy attachment to a child, ‘Subservience’ puts a twist on ‘Fatal Attraction’ with AI bot Alice going rogue after becoming obsessed with her master, Nick.
Alice starts out innocent enough, popping up every time the family needs her but after Nick resets her system so she can enjoy a classic film without knowing what’s coming up, he unknowingly unleashes her darker side. At first Alice is forceful with her advances, claiming to be catering to Nick’s needs but soon it becomes clear that she’s obsessed with her master and willing to do anything she has to, to have him all to herself. That puts Nick’s family in Alice’s crosshairs, and things escalate quickly.
In tandem with the main storyline, there’s a corruption sub-plot regarding Nick’s work but honestly that isn’t all that interesting. It’s there to give the film a bit of depth, and allow Alice to get her hands dirty, but it doesn’t really add much to the overall film. The real focus here is the battle that builds between Nick and Alice, with the family in danger due to Nick’s lack of self-control.
The casting department knew what they were doing when they cast the leads for ‘Subservience’. Megan Fox, an actress who often isn’t given enough credit, is perfect as femme fatale bot Alice, delivering her dialogue in an icy cold way. She’s believable as a temptress and it looks like she had fun playing the part. Michele Morrone, the Italian actor from the ‘365 Days’ series, will keep the female (and gay male) viewers happy, showing off his ripped torso and rugged good looks at every opportunity.
Is ’Subservience’ a great film? No, it’s not but honestly, I had a lot more fun with it than I expected to. Inevitably it’ll be dismissed as a ‘M3GAN’ clone but in its defence, the film tries to do something a little bit more adult. This is the kind of film that popcorn nights were made for. You can switch off the lights, snuggle up on the sofa and just enjoy the eye candy, while being entertained with a silly plot that’s nothing new but still engaging none-the-less.
Cast: Megan Fox, Michele Morrone, Madeline Zima, Matilda Firth Director: S.K. Dale Writers: Will Honley & April Maguire Certificate: 15 Duration: 95 mins Released by: Vertigo Releasing Release date: 13th September 2024 (EST), 20th September 2024 (TVOD)
